Page 91 of Mistletoe & Magic
I blink hard, tears threatening, and nod.
His face falls with relief.
“I want to show you something,” he says.
He steps back and holds the door open. I follow him inside, my heart thudding against my ribs.
The house feels warm and alive. I notice things I hadn’t before with framed photos on the mantle, most of them with Junie, but some with me. One of me and Junie in my mom’s garden last summer before I really even knew Remy like this, one of all three of us on the porch steps this winter.
My hand goes to my mouth. “Remy…”
“There’s more,” he says softly.
He leads me into the kitchen. A photo on the kitchen island of the three of us at the tree lighting ceremony, my head thrown back laughing. I didn’t even know anyone took that photo of us.But it’s a real life candid photo showing us doing life together, and we look like a family.
“You did this?”
He nods, still watching me.
My chest squeezes so tight I almost can’t breathe.
“One more thing,” he says, his voice quiet.
He leads me to the front hall where his storage room is. My breath catches when he swings it open.
The room is glowing with soft light. The walls are lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that are navy, full and colorful, a rolling ladder gleaming in the corner. A rug warms the center of the room, and a cozy chair sits by the window. Soft golden lamplight shines on end tables and makes the room cozy and inviting. It’s beautiful.
My hand flies to my mouth, and a laugh bubbles out of me, half shocked and half amazed.
“What’s so funny?” he asks, looking almost nervous.
“You, beast,” I say, still laughing through tears. “You made me a library just likeBeauty and the Beast.”
He rolls his eyes playfully, relief softening his face. “Do I need to keep you locked up here to get you to stay?”
“No.” I smile through happy tears. “You don’t have to lock me up. I had already planned on staying.”
I cross the room and throw my arms around his neck, kissing him like I had been waiting to do it for weeks.
When we finally pull back, he cups my face in his big hands. “What do you think?”
I look around at the shelves, my chest so full it almost hurts. “You did all this so fast.”
“Plenty of room to add more,” he says. “I’ll give you the world, Ivy Maren. If you’ll let me.”
My gaze catches on the canvas on the wall, the picture fromthe tree farm of all three of us. Junie’s in front of Remy, his arm around me, and both of us are smiling. It’s one of my favorite memories.
I touch it, my throat too tight to speak for a moment.
“I love it,” I whisper finally. “I love you.”
He kisses me again, softer this time, like a promise.
A little voice pipes up from the hallway. “Can I come in now?”
We turn to see Junie hovering in the doorway, bouncing on her toes.
“Are you all made out?”
